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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28613118">Nature's Will</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirax3163/pseuds/Mirax3163'>Mirax3163</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bottom Keith (Voltron), Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Fantasy Racism, Feral Keith (Voltron), Fluff, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Protective Shiro (Voltron), Sex, Top Shiro (Voltron), afab language, half wolf keith, very light dubcon?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:15:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,484</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28613118</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirax3163/pseuds/Mirax3163</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Takashi is a newcomer to a small industrialized town, but he has some mysterious memories from childhood that leave him with a deeper connection to a misunderstood race of people. His curiosity and gentle heart cause him to end up with a little bit more than he bargained for.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Nature's Will</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was a bit of a rush job so it's probably not my best writing, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! :) I may add more tags as I think of them in further chapters.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Branches snapped and leaves crunched beneath desperate feet as a young boy of four scampered through the dense underbrush of the forest floor. </p>
<p>“Father?” His small voice squeaked, tears budding at the corners of his eyes, stinging him as the fear welled up in the pit of his stomach. “Father?!” </p>
<p>His head swung on his shoulders, vision blurring with each passing moment of nothing but the gentle rustling of trees and his own frantic breathing answering him. He came to a stop, turning around in place as sobs crept their way up his throat. He rubbed at his tears with small fists as he tried not to panic. He’d wandered off from his father again, deep in the woods, just like he’d always been warned not to do, and he’d slipped and took a tumble down a ditch where his father didn’t see. Now he was stuck in the middle of the forest, alone, with dusk quickly approaching.</p>
<p>The young boy crumpled to his knees in the leaves and dirt, curling into a ball, sobbing, his head still swivelling around and around looking for the dark shape of his father in the distance. </p>
<p>Suddenly he heard a large twig snap behind him. He froze, sobs quieting, turning his head with eyes held frightfully wide. Standing there behind him, several feet away, was a tall figure unlike anything Takashi had seen before. He had intricate, towering antlers that branched out with a hundred tiny notches; strong fur-covered legs with hooves a shiny black color. The upper half of his body was smooth skin, like a human’s, but it was dark, and covered over bulging, defined muscle. His face was a human one, but with ears of a buck protruding from the sides of his head, and long straight black hair gathered in beads that fell like a waterfall over his shoulders. Around his neck were dozens of necklaces made of the same smooth, carved wooden beads. </p>
<p>Takashi gazed, now completely distracted with awe, as the figure stepped closer, slowly. He murmured words in a gentle gravelly voice that the boy couldn’t understand. Takashi should have been frightened, but somehow he knew without words that this being meant him no harm.</p>
<p>The man knelt in the underbrush in front of the boy. He lowered his head and unfastened one of the necklaces from around his thick neck, then held it out to Takashi, putting it over his head. </p>
<p>The young boy looked down in disbelief at the necklace, turning the smooth wooden beads in his fingers. When he looked up again to ask what it meant, the man was gone. Takashi blinked, swivelling his head around and around, but there was no trace of him anywhere. </p>
<p>Just as he stood up again to investigate, to chase down this mysterious creature, he heard his father’s voice in the distance.</p>
<p>“Takashi?” </p>
<p>Without thinking, he tucked the intricate necklace inside his shirt, knowing it must be kept a secret. He knew what that being was, and he knew what the necklace meant, though he couldn’t quite put it into words. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>When he first took the voyage across the ocean to find more sustainable work in an industrialized town, Takashi was shocked at how different it was from where he grew up. Black smoke streaked the sky, burning his eyes and nose when it caught him on the sidewalk. He couldn’t escape the ever-present buzzing of lightbulbs during the night time, and it kept him from sleeping and made his head throb with pain. Even so, the work paid good money, and he hadn’t anywhere else to go. </p>
<p>From the minute he arrived he knew he didn’t belong. The townsfolk, instead of being welcoming like they were to the others disembarking from the cramped and cold journey across the sea, greeted him with side-eyed whispers and keeping their distance. <br/>Takashi quickly learned that even though he was a nice young man, it didn’t matter how much he smiled or how non-confrontational a demeanor he adopted, he would always be treated differently. He knew it was because he was a bit odd-looking compared to the locals. Almond-shaped eyes that curved upwards at the corners, a flat nose, high cheekbones, and a dark scar across his face caused people to think twice before trusting him, no matter how soft and gentle his voice was or how much he smiled and entertained small talk. </p>
<p>He then decided it would benefit him most if he kept to himself, did the work and then went home. He didn’t try very hard to make friends or spend time with anyone in the town. The few people that showed interest in him he found out were mostly swindlers out to take advantage of naïve newcomers to the village, young men like him, mostly. He learned quickly, choosing to be quiet and observe rather than rush forward and make rash decisions, and this served him well. He kept his head down and worked hard. Through the remainder of his teens, then his twenties, eventually he was able to save up enough money to make a home elsewhere. </p>
<p>During the rare hours he’d been granted free time to spend as he wished, throughout the years he always ended up doing the same thing: taking a walk to the nearby woods, just far enough from the bustling town that he could be alone. Nobody else really seemed inclined to venture this far out except hunters. He loved nature; it reminded him of where he grew up as a boy. Once he’d discovered those woods so close to the town, he decided once he’d saved up enough to build his own house, he wanted it to be there. </p>
<p>He decided to buy a plot of land deeper in the woods, and was going to hire some help to cut down some trees so he could start a farm there. He met them on the plot, and took his time surveying the land before something stopped him. In the underbrush, covered by dead leaves and debris was a chunk of smooth wood. It was too smooth to be natural - it had to have been carved by hand.</p>
<p>As he picked it up and turned it in his hand, he suddenly remembered the natives back from his homeland… the halflings. He remembered how mystical and enchanting they had seemed to his four-year-old mind. Ever since that strange evening when he got lost in the woods, Takashi never looked at trees or plants the same way. He saw the unique, irreplicable beauty each living plant held and he refused to participate in any activity that was destructive towards it. Then came his teen years, and he was forced to relocate after his family passed away. He came here, to a newer land, one that had been reworked with machines and architecture that was foreign to him. Through the need to make a living, he had forgotten about his promise to nature and his promise to the halflings that treated him with care and friendliness. Not once had he taken the necklace off since it was given to him; the meaning of it had been lost on him over the years as he grew and the memories of his younger years were buried under stress and other responsibilities. He reached up and slipped his fingers inside his collar and touched the smooth, carved wood of the necklace.He got a sudden tight feeling in his chest, and something compelled him to turn around and face the men he’d brought with him, axes in hand, and send them away. </p>
<p>He wandered out to the very edge of the land plot he’d purchased to where it was just on the edge of the trees. He suddenly realized he could smell again; the earthy aroma of the forest filled his nose, fresh air in his lungs, and his eyes ceased stinging and his nose no longer burned. His head was clear of the fog of electric buzzing. He could hear birds chirping, trees rustling. He smiled. He turned the smooth beads of the necklace in his rough fingers once more.</p>
<p>He didn’t hesitate as he hiked back to town and ordered lumber. With only a couple of hired hands to help, he built his own home on the edge of the forest. Once his home was complete, he felt extremely pleased with himself, and could finally breathe fresh air and wake up to a clear head instead of one that ached with hazy smog.</p>
<p>The first day his home was complete, he hung a mirror over his bathroom sink. He was shocked at his rugged appearance - he admitted he’d gone quite a long time without a shave, and his jaw was certainly prickly when he ran his calloused hands over it, but he hadn’t realized how dark it had gotten. His hair too was a mess, grown out and long, kept up in a messy bun on the back of his head. He was about to take a knife to it, but then hesitated, remembering the halfling he always saw in his recurring dream: long dark hair like a waterfall, falling over his shoulders. He touched the necklace on his chest again and the familiar thought of magic crept into his mind again. He kept thinking back to that day he was lost in the woods. He had been wandering for near an hour, according to his father, and only once he was gifted the necklace did he hear his father’s voice calling out to him. Again now, only touching the necklace brought him clear vision and allowed him to narrowly avoid destroying part of the forest that he made his home next to. To his knowledge, magic didn’t exist in his world - but he wouldn’t be surprised if it was a sacred art belonging to the beings who were closer to nature than he was. How else could he have understood the halfling meant him no harm even though he couldn’t understand their language? How else could he explain his sudden, overnight shift in perspective towards nature?</p>
<p>He set the knife down and instead undid his hair, let it fall over his shoulders and put it back up again, neatly. He ran his hand over the scruff on his chin once more before deciding to leave that be as well. His stomach reminded him of his hard day’s work, and before wandering into the kitchen to start some stew, he pulled off his soiled shirt and stepped out of the bathroom, letting his skin breathe. </p>
<p>Takashi enjoyed his first night of rest in his newly constructed cabin. It was a modest size, just enough room for one person to live comfortably. It featured a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and attached to the kitchen was a leisure room. He also added an extra room that could either be used for storage or as a bedroom. He hadn’t really any need for a guest room seeing as he didn’t have any family or friends, really, but he put it there just in case. </p>
<p>Over the next few months, Takashi came to love his new home. It was perfect - quiet, close to the forest where he could forage for small game and edible plant life, and he even found a few local halfling communities where he was able to gain trust and begin trade relations. He could trade for almost anything he needed from the halflings alone, short of a few smelted tools and other metal ware, along with other resources he needed to buy in bulk instead of small quantities. </p>
<p>One such community was hidden deeper in the woods. He immediately recognized the species: large, beautiful antlers, black hooves for feet - it was the same halfling race that had found him in the forest all those years ago. These particular people were known for their expert wood crafting and carpentry skills. They carved furniture, dishware, jewelry, even built houses and made tools, and all with beautiful, handcrafted detail that set their wares apart from any human carpenter. Shiro touched his necklace, pulling it out from inside of his shirt as he approached them. Naturally all halfling communities were weary of humans, since most of them either swindle, degrade or even try to harm them - but once they saw the necklace and Takashi’s gentle disposition, he began to gain their favor. He had clearly come to trade and they recognized that positively. Naturally intrigued by the events of his past, he formed a special interest in their culture and talents. This interest branched into a desire to understand and learn from all the halfling species, and he began researching them, trading and buying any books he could find on the subject. </p>
<p>Aside from gaining favor with the halfling communities, ever since he moved away from the main town, he noticed when he did make his seldom appearances there, he was treated like even more of an outsider than before. Everyone was content to let him live alone on the edge of the woods, in his cabin, and only see him once or twice a week for the brief period when he had to purchase supplies he couldn’t get through trading with the local halfling natives. He was about the only one who preferred trading with them to shopping in the general stores in town. He almost seemed to enjoy their company more, have a greater connection with them than his fellow humans, and this only added to the townsfolk being weary of him. It was an unfortunate social custom that Takashi deeply disagreed with, that halflings were to be seen as less than human; less intelligent, less valuable, and less trustworthy. </p>
<p>Takashi wasn’t bothered by this one bit. He much preferred the company of nature to the disgusting smog of the village air anyway. He was content to do as he pleased. If he was going to be remembered by these villagers as the strange hermit that lived in the woods, so be it. </p>
<p>Now that Takashi’s biggest goal had been achieved and he had a cozy home away from town, he focused on his next adventure: exploring deeper into the forest. He’d done a bit already of course, which was how he found the halfling communities to trade with, but they were all relatively near the edge. He wanted to go deeper, travel as far in as he could and see what was there to discover. </p>
<p>He set out early in the morning, just after sunrise, heading northeast through the trees. The cool dewy air of dawn greeted him, giving him a pleasant aroma of the earth and a fair bit of mud on his worn leather boots, but he didn’t mind.</p>
<p>He’d hiked about a mile straight out from his cabin when he saw something unusual in the distance. It looked like a smooth mound of leaves - but it was in the middle of the summer, before any leaves should be falling from the trees. He squinted, then slowed his pace, approaching cautiously. There was an opening, leading underground that he could see as he got closer. He slowly lowered his pack to the ground, being sure not to make too much noise, then crept closer and peered inside. It looked deserted except for a small fire burning on the inside. It looked to be some type of den. What was odd was that it clearly belonged to some type of halfling, judging by the fire, the worn rug on the ground and the different tools hanging on the walls, but he didn’t see any other dens in the area, and no halflings in sight. Usually there would be at least one or two guarding the home, even if it was a small community. </p>
<p>Takashi bit his lower lip and scratched his jaw, then turned back to his pack and rummaged through until he pulled out one of his books on halfling races. He leafed through until he got to the lupine section. Based on the construction it seemed to be the home of a den of halfling wolves. Wolf communities tended to be smaller, sure, but he’d never heard of only one den all on its own. It was certainly curious. </p>
<p>Suddenly a low, threatening growl jerked Takashi from his thoughts. He slammed the book shut and reeled his head up, eyes shooting wide at what he saw cowering in the dirt about twenty feet away. Down on all fours was a halfling, a scruffy, malnourished looking half-wolf, half-man baring his teeth with a menacing expression. His black fur stood on end, tail between his legs, hair a messy mop, the same color as his lower half. His skin was gently tanned and marked up with scars, most of which looked to be from hunting.</p>
<p>“Woah, easy there, I’m sorry, I know I’m on your ground…” Takashi spoke quickly, taking his pack as he backed away, unable to shake this young wolf’s reaction as unusual. “I.. I’m just exploring, I came to trade…” He tried to explain, but clearly the words were meaningless to the wolf as he simply kept growling, inching closer to the den, locking Takashi’s eyes with his own fierce, deep blue ones. </p>
<p>Takashi took the opportunity to look the man over from a distance. He could see his ribs, his hip bones even through the thick, puffed out fur. He looked around, searching for any trace of other wolf halflings in the area but he didn’t see any others. The wolf also wasn’t crying for help, something his species usually did when there was danger, especially to the den. The only thing Takashi could think of was that this young wolf, for some reason, was living out here alone, and never learned to speak human language. </p>
<p>He’d heard of forests beginning to be overhunted, and he realized he hadn’t seen much game this deep in the woods. Based on what he’d read about lupine halfling species, they typically sported a rather robust build of heavy muscle, and were never scrawny unless they were underfed. </p>
<p> The wolf seemed to be standing his ground, inching more and more towards Takashi. He knew if he got up and tried to run, he’d be quickly overtaken. What he needed was a peace offering, something to show the wolf that he wasn’t hostile.</p>
<p>Takashi reached into one of the small pouches on the outside of his pack and pulled out something wrapped up in a thin piece of leather. He pulled the leather away to reveal strips of dried and seasoned beef. Immediately the wolf ceased his growling, sniffing the air, eyes snapping to stare at the meat. </p>
<p>“Go on, you can have it, I don’t mean any harm,” Takashi spoke softly, gently. He placed the meat in front of him on the ground, then took his pack, slowly stood, and backed away. Once he’d moved about twenty feet, the wolf’s eyes flicked to him, back to the meat, and then he quickly snatched it up and scurried back into the den. </p>
<p>The man couldn’t help but stare at the den, watching, heart pounding, before sighing with relief as it didn’t seem like the wolf was coming back out. He decided to move on to find an ample camping place. He made sure to give the den plenty of room, and found an adequate campsite about half a mile from where he stumbled upon the den. Takashi’s aching legs decided it was far enough away, so he dropped his pack and began pulling out the supplies for his tent. </p>
<p>He had his tent set up in only a few minutes. After noticing the lack of game, he decided it would be futile to try and hunt rabbits or squirrels and instead used the last few minutes of daylight foraging for edible plants, and crafted them into a tasty stew with a few herbs he brought from home. He threw in a few strips of the dried meat as well. </p>
<p>Takashi soon felt exhaustion settle into his bones from the mile and a half trek with a heavy pack, so he ate his dinner quickly, glancing upwards, and finding it pitch black from the dense trees. It was eerie to say the least; usually at this time of night he could see a full sky of stars. He let out a sigh and doused the fire, washing out the stew bowl and dumping the water several feet away from his camp as a precaution before crawling into his small tent to get some rest. </p>
<p>As he laid down, he slipped his hand back inside his shirt and turned over the smooth wooden beads of the necklace in his rough fingers. He found the texture of them soothing, and as with every night, he let his thoughts drift to the mysterious halfling man who had saved him all those years ago.</p>
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